Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the field of software applications, and more particularly to the field of integrating human interaction software with corporate communication systems.
Discussion of the State of the Art
Almost every new smartphone and some personal computers come equipped (or are capable of being equipped) with a type of live interaction software application that can accept and process voice commands, such as to perform basic tasks like “search the internet for X”, “get me directions to X”, “call X”, or other uses. Such software may also provide a speech-to-text capability that allows a user to type through voice commands and send a written message. Such live interaction applications provide many benefits to users, and since they perform functions in a hands-free mode they can save time and even provide safety to the user-such as when performing computing tasks simultaneously with daily activities such as walking or operating a vehicle.
While live interaction applications are useful, and provide a “personal” touch to the interaction between user and device, they do have limitations in functionality and their overall usefulness can be considered “incomplete” in supporting the overall tasks being performed by a user. For example, utilizing existing technologies in the art, a user may perform a phone number search for a business through a live interaction application and be presented with the search result they desired. The user can now instruct the live interaction application to “dial” the number, and at this point the value and utility of the live interaction application is complete.
In this example, the user wanted to communicate with a business and the live interaction application dialed the number for the user. The user may now have to listen to an interactive voice response (IVR) system for the company, which could prompt them to manually type or speak responses to questions that will help guide the user to an appropriate resource within the company that can assist their needs. The live interaction application was useful in its task of searching for the contact number and initiating the call, but the user was still left to input info and interact with an automated system to get to the resource they desired (which may or may not even be available).
What is needed, is a means to integrate resource access and communications through a client facing live interaction application and enable the live interaction application to access company resource information and availability of those resources, communicate that information back to the user, and provide the user with options to connect and communicate with that resource through the live interaction application, thereby providing a complete end-to-end value for using the live interaction application in support of the users request to establish communication with a resource or contact.